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A Calabasas teacher saved himself from death after being shot in the leg when a gunman opened fire inside of LAX. The teacher is recovering in a hospital after he thought quickly and slowed the bleeding with a makeshift tourniquet. Kate Larsen reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (Published Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013)

Updated at 7:52 AM PDT on Tuesday, Nov 5, 2013

A Southern California performing arts teacher managed to keep himself alive with a makeshift tourniquet after being shot by a lone gunman who violently descended upon the Los Angeles International Airport.

Brian Ludmer, 29, was recovering from surgery Saturday after being shot in the leg while trying to catch a flight to a friend’s wedding the day before.

Slain TSA Officer Was One Week From 40th Birthday

The Southern California TSA officer who was shot and killed while on duty in LAX was the first to die in the line of duty. His wife says he took pride in his work and enjoyed meeting travelers from around the world every day on the job. He would have turned 40 years old next week. Jane Yamamoto reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (Published Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013)

"He dragged himself to a nearby closet, closed the door and relied on his old Boy Scouts training to create a makeshift tourniquet to help slow the bleeding," said Dan Stepenosky, superintendent of the Las Virgenes Unified School District.

Ludmer waited inside the closet until he heard a police officer. He cracked the door open, saw it was a police officer and called for help.

Suspected LAX Gunman to Face Murder Charges

The man who is accused of opening fire inside of LAX will be charged with murder of a federal officer, a charge that could get him life in prison without parole or the death penalty. John Cádiz Klemack reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. (Published Tuesday, Nov 19, 2013)

"It’s kind of incomprehensible," Stepenosky said. "You go to the airport to go to a wedding ... and now he's in a hospital."

Friends, family members and colleagues were by the hospital bedside of the Calabasas teacher.